Electric controller.



Patented Feb. 18, 1913.

mvsn'ron N av 7 qmiuav J. H. HALL. ELECTRIC CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED 0OT.30, 1911. RENEWED OUT. 25, 1912.

am M. QM.

series field thereof at FF.

UNITED PATENT OFFlCE.

JAY H. HALL, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE ELECTRIC CONTROLLER ANDMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO. A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

ELECTRIC CONTROLLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 18, 1913.

Application filed October 30, 1911, Serial No. 657,495. Renewed October25, 1912. Serial No. 727,785.

To all whom 1' t may concern:

Be it known that I, J AY H. HALL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Electric Controllers, of whichthe following is a specification.

My inventiq tes to improvements in that typeofelectric controllers knownas seriesarallel controllers, in which a series of in ividually operatedswitches are employed to control the speed of the motors, andparticularly that. type in which the closure of certain switches isgoverned by relays controlled by the motor circuit.

The objects of my invention are to provide a system of control by whichthe resistance may he cut out of a motor circuit to start the motor bymeans of magnetically operated switches, the closure of which isgoverned by relays controlled by the current flowing in the motorcircuit, and also governed at will from a master switch: (2) to providean interlock by means of which n circuit-closing switch in a motorcontrol sys tem cannot close if any of the resistance switches or relaysgoverning them is closed: and (3) in a series parallel controller toprevent the change from series to parallel when any of the resistancecontrolling switches or relays is closed.

Referring to the accompanying sheet of drawing which showsdiagrammatically the preferred form of my invention, A is the armatureof one motor, and F the series field thereof. R, R and R are sections ofresistance for the said motor. The :n'nniture of the other motor isshown at AA. and the The resistance sections RR HIV, and RR form arheostat for the motor AA. These sections of re .sistance are governedin groups of two by to the troller by the relays T, T and T Theoperating winding t, of the relay T is in the circuit of the motor A. inseries with all the rheostat. and is in circuit all the time the motorsare in operation. windings 1* ant t of the relays T and T" are connectedin series in a circuit connected on the one hand to the lower bridgingpieces of the switches S and S and on the other to the left-hand contactof the relay The lower terminal of the winding f is also connected tothe lower bridging piece of the switch S. The contacts of the relays Tand T which are not conne ted to either winding s or s are conne tedtogether and to the negative.

The relays T'. T and T are of the tvpc of switches described in Harryll. (unlield's applications, Serial Number 553.000, tilt-d September21., 1910, and Serial Kznnlwr lave the peculiar characteristic oflocking open when the current in their cp rnling windings is above apredctormined value and of operating when the curut diminishes to thatvalue.

A series switch and a zlllfl switch are illustrated. respectively, at iand l. Their respective actuating windings s and have one end connectedto a common wire lending to the negative: the other end of the winding 8is connected to the finger 111?. and. the other end of the winding 1) isconnected to the finger m of the master-controller. The switches S and lare 'provided with a lllO- chanical interlock J and with a lockingcircuit. T his locking circuit is traced from the positive through themagnets K and K. a imitin resistance r, and thence is connected hridgingpieces of relays T and T, and also to the terminal 9 through :1 re- Theoperating sistance r, that is, to the lower bridging pieces of theswitches S, S and S The purpose of the resistance 1" 1s to avoid a ishort circuit around the windings W, t, and

relay T to the negative.

t through the bridging piece of either relay T or T Themaster-contro-ller M is of the drum type. The finger m is connected tothe positive. By moving the master-controller the motors are firstconnected in series and the speed regulated, and then in parallel withfurther regulation of speed.

The operation of this controller is as follows: Assuming that the drumof the master controller is moved to bring the row of fingers toposition 1, a circuit is established from H positive through the fingersm, 012?, and the winding 8 to the negative. The series switch S willthen close its contacts, whereupon the motor circuit is established asfollows: from the positive through the armature AA, the field FF, theresistances RR, RR, RR, the contacts of the switch S, the armature A,the ficld F, the resistance" R R R, and the operating winding 25 of therelay T, to the negative. The two motors are connected in series withall the resistances in circuit. If the operator waits long enough, theacceleration of the motors will cause the current in the motor circuitto decrease to that value at which the relay T is adjusted to operate.Then the relay T, which had been locked open by the first rush ofcurrent, will close its contacts. When the operator turns themastercontroller to bring the fingers to the position 2, a circuit isestablished from the positive through the fingers m and m, the winding 8of the switch S, the winding L of the relay T the contacts of the relayT, and the winding t thereof to the negative. The winding of the switchS being energized will close its contacts, thereby shi-rrcircuiting theresistance secti ns R and RR simultaneously and connecting the operatingwinding t of the relay T in series with the winding t in the motorcircuit. ()wing to the rush of current, the relay T will lock open untilthe nuztots accelerate sufficiently to cause the current to decrease tothat value at which the relay T is adjusted to operate, whereupon thesaid relay will close its contacts. It now the operator bringsthe'niaster-controller to the third position so that. the brushes comeon line 3, another operating circuit is established from the positivethrough the fingers m and m the winding s of the switch S and thecontacts of the The switch S will close its contacts, therebyshort-circuiting the resistance sections .R, RR \iniultaneously andconnecting the operating winih ing t of the relay T in series with thewindeugs I" and l. The relay T will lock open ti l he urrent in themotor circuit has dc-- creased to that value at which said rel y isadjusted to operate, whereupon it will lose its contacts. Finally,bringing the master controller to the fourth position completes anoperating circuit from the positive through. the fingers m, m, thewinding 8, and the contacts of the relay T to the negative.Consequently, the switch S will close its contacts, therebyshort-circuiting simultaneously the last two se tions RR and R of thestarting resistance and connecting the motors in series directly acrossthe line. In these conditions the motor circuit is traced as follows:from the positive through the armature AA and the field Fl of onemotor,the upper contact. of the switch S, the contact of the seriesswitch S, the armature A and. the field F of the other mo tor, the lowercontact of the switch S and the windings t F, t to the negative.

It will be seen that, however rapidly the operator moves the mastercontroller from position 1 to position 4, the winding .9 of the switch Scannot be energized until the relay T closes its contacts; that thewinding s of the switch S cannot be energized until the relay T closesits contacts, and that the winding 8 cannot be energized until the relayT closes its contacts. More over, as the relay T can operate only afterthe relay T has operated,. and as the relay T can operate only after therelay has operated, it follows that the switches S, S and S always closetheir contacts in a predetermined sequence independently of the rapiditywith which the master coir troller is moved.

The locking circuit is established as soon as the relay T closes itsontacts. current flowing from the positive through the windings K K, theresistance 1'. the. resistance 1" the terminal y, the windings 1", f thecontac s of the relay T, and the inding I to the negative. This currentenergizes the magnets K and K. Each magnet u bcn lll ergized is strongenough to in'cH-nl the p eration of its respective snitch, but i on ableti; force it open after it has t plltlii'il. Therefore, the )arallelswitch which has been already lot-lied in open po ition by the interlockJ will be positireiy held in ihi said position by the magnet R, If theresistance r wereomitted, a direct path to ground for the motor circuitwould ho had through the terminal 1 the bridging plt'tt'r ot' the relaysT and T-' and the contacts thereof", thereby shin't-circuiting theoperating windings of all the relays and starting a pumping ac ion.

The next step is to connect the motors in parallel. To do this themaster controller is moved so as to bring all its fingers on the line 5.Before the master controller Icachcs this position, the switches S", S",S" and 5 are (lci'-|1crgizcd and should drop to thropen position. Theswitches S, S and S in dropping reinsert all the resistance sections incircuit, and the switch S in dropping opens the motor circuit, whereuponthe relays T, T and T will be cleenergized and will open their contacts,thereby opening the actuating circuits of the resistance controllingswitches. 1

The winding 2 of the switch P is already energized, current flowing fromthe positive through the fingers m, m and the winding 7) to thenegative, but the switch P cannot close its contacts so long as any ofthe relays T, T T or the switches S, S S is closed, because currentflows in the locking circuit. The circuit is easy to trace if any of ther lays T, T, or T remains closed. If a resistance switch, say S sticksto the closed position, or is slow in opening, the locking circuit iscompleted from the positive through the windings K and K, the

resistance 1, the resistance r, the point 9, the lower contact of theswitch S the resistancePfi, R, and the winding t of the relay T to thenegative. Therefore, the magnets K and K are energized, and the switch Pand also the switch S are locked in the open position. If the switch Sstays closed the locking circuit is traced as before to the point 9,thence through the winding t, the lower contact of the switch S, theresistance R, and the winding t to the negative. The magnets K and K areagain energized and the switches P and S are locked in the openposition.

Assuming that the switch S, the resistance switches, and the relays haveopened their contacts, the locking circuit is denergized, and theparallel. switch P will close its contacts, connecting the motors inparallel, each in series with the resistances composing its rheostat.The motor circuit is as follows: One branch is from the positive throughthe armature AA, the field FF, the resistances RR, 8R RR, and the lowercontact of the switch P to the negative; the other-branch is from thepositive through the upper contact otthe switch P, the armature A, thefield F, the resistances R, R R, and the operating winding t of therelay T to the negative. Again, when the current in the winding t fallsto the value at which relay T has been adjusted to operate, the saidrelay will close its contacts. To increase the speed of the motors theoperator 'turns the 'iuastercontroller to the next position, so

that the row of fingers comes on line 6, which establishes the circuitthrough the winding 8, as explained previously, whereupon the switch Scloses its contacts, short circuits simultaneously the resistance R inthe circuit of the motor A and the resistance RR in the circuit of themotor AA, and connects the operating winding t of the 1'6 lay T in thecircuit of the motor A. The

sudden rush of current due to the shortcircuiting of the resistancesections R and RR locks open the relay T till the current in the circuitof the motor A diminishes to that value at which the relay t hasbeenadjusted to operate. At that moment the relay T will close its contacts.It now the operator moves the master controller to the position 7, thecircuit through the winding 8 is established and the switch S will closeits'contacts and short-circuit simultaneously the resistance sect-ion Rin the circuit of the motor A, and the resistance section HR in thecircuit of the motor AA. The operation of the switch S also connects thewinding t of the relay T in series with the windin st and t in thecircuit of the motor A. T e sudden increase of the current will causethe relay T to lock open until the current falls to that value at whichthe said relay is adjusted to operate. Then the relay T will close itscont-acts. If, finally, the operator brings the master controller to thelast position 8, the circuit through the winding 8 .is completed and theswitch S will close its contacts and short-circuit the two last sectionsR and BB of the starting resistance. The operation of the switch S alsoconnects the two motors in parallel, directly across the line. The motorcircuit is then as follows: One branch is traced. from the positivethrough the armature AA, the field FF, the upper cont-act of the switchS and the lower contact of the parallel switch P to the negative; theother branch is traced from the positive through the upper contact ofthe switch P, the armature A, the field F, the lower contact of theswitch S thewinding t of the relay T the winding t of the relay T andthe winding t of the relay T to the negative.

The operation of the switches S, S and S is controlled, when the motorsare connected in parallel, by the current in the circuit of themot/or'A, since the switch S cannot operate before the relay T hasclosed its contacts, the switch S cannot operate before the relay T hasclosed its contacts, and the switch S cannot operate before the relay Thas closed its contacts. The relays T, T and T do not close so long asthe current in the circuit of the motor A is above a certainpredetermined limit. Consequently, no matter how rapidly the operatormoves the master-controller from position 5 to position 8, theresistance controlling switches will always operate in a predeterminedsequence.

When the relay T closes its contacts, the locking circuit is energizedand the magnet K locks the series switch S in the open positio-n,the'eaid' switch being alreadymain- .tained in that position by theinterlock J.

To stop the motors, the master controller iareturned to the off positionwhich causes 139 all the switches to be deenergized and be open theircontacts and the motor circuit to be opened at the switches S and P.

If any of the resistance switches stays closed, current will flowthrough the locking circuit as explained in the series running of themotors; and if one of the relays fails to open, thelocking circuit. willbe closed through the bridging piece of the said relay. In both casesthe two switches S and P will be locked in the open position by themagnets K and K?, respectively, and further operation of the controlleris prevented until the trouble has been remedied.

It will be noticed that the-operating windings of the relays T, T, and Tare always connected in one motor circuit only, which insures that theyoperate at the same value of current whether "the two motors areconnected inseriesor in parallel.

It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that thenumber of resistance controlling switches may be greater or less thanthree. In case it is desired to add another switch another relay such asT is provided for governing the operating circuit of the said switch.-If only two switches provided with extra magnets, such as K and K thefunction of. which will he to insure a proper electrical interlock forthereveising switches.

My invention may also be applied to the control of a single motor, ascan be readily understood by considering the operation of the motor witharmature A in connection with the switch S and the first four positionsof the master controller, omitting the other motor and the switch P. Inthat case only the lower contacts of the switches S, S, S and theresistances controlled thercby need he .mns dered in addition to therelays. The locking circuit will remain unchanged The switches S, S,Q'", and S can now be considered as a series of switches for controllingthe circuit of the inotori A, the switch S being a. main switch.

I claim 1. in a. series parallel controller, two rcsistanu-s. means forconnecting, them in series and in parallel. switches for controllingth-zxfesistanccs. actuating circuits therefor. individual rci lys forcontrolling'thc closure of the l'kn'lltt'liYQ circuits. and operatingwindings therefor energized by the current. through one of thresistances.

3. in a series parallel controller, two rcsistances, means forconnecting them in series and in parallel, switches for control motorcircuit, and means for connecting the motors in series and in parallel.

4. In a'series parallel.controller, two resistances, means forconnecting them in series and in parallel, switches for control ling theresistances, actuating circuits therefor, and relays adapted to controlthe closure of the circuits and including actuating windings in thecircuitof one resistance, the relays adapted to lock their contacts openwhen the current in their windings is above a certain value and to closetheir contacts when t he current is reduced.

In a motor control system, two motors, a resistance for each motor,means for connecting the motors in series and in parallel, switches forcontrolling the resistances, an actuating circuit for each switch,contacts for (.xontrolling the closure of the said circuits, anol'ierat-ing winding energized by current in one motorcircuit forclosing the said contacts and connecting the operating winding of thenext succeeding contacts in the said motor circuit.

ti. In a motor. control system, two motors, a series of resistances foreach motor, means for connecting the motors in s ries and in parallel,switches for controlling simultaneously the two seriesof resistan -cs,an ac tuating circuit for each switch. a relay controlling t-hc closureof the said circuit. and including an operating winding for closing therelay energized by current in vonc motor circuit, the relay adapted tolock its contacts open .when the current in its winding is above. acertain value and to close the contacts when the current. is reduced.and coir tacts for coi'inecting the operating winding of the nextsucceeding relay in the said motorcircuit. V

7. Iii-a series parallel. controller, two rc sistances, switches forconnecting them in series and in parallel. switches for controllingsimultaneously the. two resistances. actuating circuits therefor, relaysfor controb ling the closure. of said circuits, and a locking circuitenergized when an of the rcsistaiice controlling switches or any of thecircuit-controlling relays is cios'cil. for prei'cnting the operation ofthe series parallel connecting switches.

8. In a motor control system, two motors,

resistance switches or any of the circuit conswitches for connectingthem in series and in parallel, resistances for each motor, switches forcontrolling the resistances, actuatingcircuits therefor, contacts forcontrolling the closure of said circuits, and a locking circuitenergized when any of the trolling contacts is closed, and controllingmagnets in the locking circuit for reventing the operation of the seriesparallel connecting switches.

9. In an electric controller, the combination of a series of switches,each having main contacts and an actuating windin a master switch forcontrolling the windings, relays associated withcertain switches havingcontacts in the circuit of the winding of the switch next to close,windings for the relays arranged to be successively connected in thecontrolled circuit by the clo sure of the main contacts of the saidswitches, and a locking circuit for preventing the closure of the firstswitch of the se'- ries if the contacts of any of the relays or any ofthe said switches are closed.

10. In an electric controller. a circuit. ,a series of resistances, aseries of switches for controlling the resistances, relays associatedwith certain switches for controlling the windings of the said switches,windings for the relays connected in said circuit and arranged to beenergized by the successive closure of said switches, and a locking circuit for reventin the closum of the first switch 0 the serlcs, it any ofthe said switches or relays is in its operated position.

11. In an electric controller, a main switch, a series of switches eachhaving main contacts and an actuating winding relays associated withcertain of sai switches having contacts in the circuit of the windingof; the switch next to close, windin for the relays arra to be connectedm the controlled. circuit by the clo sure of the main contacts of thesaid switches, and a locking circuit for preventing the closure of themain. switch energized by the closure of the said contacts of any of thesaid switches in the series.

19. In an electric controller, a main switch, a series of switches eachhaving main contacts and an actuating winding, relays associated withcertain of said switches having contacts in the circuit of the wincfingof the switch next to close, windings for the relays arranged to beconin the controlled circuit by the closure of the main contacts of thesaid switches, the said windings locking the relays 0 when thecarrent=thcrain is above a p etermincd value and operat' them when thecurrent is reduced, and il focking wwoitm mae u circuit for preventingthe closure of? c main switch energized by the closure of the saidcontacts of any of the relays.

13. In an electric controller, a motor, a circuit; therefor, a mainswitch for closing the said circuit, a plurality of resistances for saidcircuit, a plurality of switches for the resistances adapted to close ina predetermined order, a relay for each resistance switch forcontrolling the winding thereof, and a locking circuit for the mainswitch energized by the closure of any resistance switch or any relay.

14. In a motor control system, a. motor, a switch for connecting themotor to a source of supply, resistances for the motor, switches forcontrolling said resistances,

actuating circuits therefor, relays for c0n trolling the closure of saidcircuits, and a locking circuit energized when any of the resistanceswitches or any of the circuitcont-rolling relays is closed, saidlocking'cir ouit embracing the windings of magnets for reventing theoperation of the circuit-closmg switch.

15. In an electric control system, a circuit to be "controlled, a seriesof resistancecontrolling switches, a relay provided for ing, thecontacts of each switch in closi energizing; the wind of the relay whocontrols t e closure 0 the next resistancecontrolling switch to rate,and connections whereby one of e relays in closing connects to thecontrolled circuit a contact ofat least one of theresistance-controlling switches.

16. In an electric control system, a oncuit to be controlled, a seriesof resistancecontrolling switches, -operating windings therefor, rlalhaving windings connected in thecont-ro ed circuit by the switch whichrecedes in operation, and connections whereby the firstielay in closingconnects each switch and having an actuating windto th controlledcircuit a contact of each of V the resistancecontrolling switches.

17. In an electric control system, a cir cuit to be controlled, a seriesof resistancecontrolling switches, operating windings therefor, rela sha windings connwted in the control ed circuit by the switch whichprecedes in operation, connections whereby the first relay in closingconnects to the controlled circuit a contact of each or theresistance-controlling switches, and a control circuit connected to thesaid contacts.

Signed at Cleveland, Ohio, this 26th day of October, A. D. 1911.

J AY H. HALL.

Witnesses:

R. H. Bmvmrrr, H. M. Drum.

for tire cents each, by addressing the "commissioner of l'atents.

Washington, D. a."

